What are the best mobile app development firms I should contact? You could be debating whether you should make an app for iOS, Android, or Windows Mobile, or if you should make a cross-platform app. It’s not a simple question by any means, and in order to make the best pick, you’ll need to evaluate several possibilities on a single list.
The finest Android and iOS app developers may be found all around the world because of the nature of the app creation process. These businesses frequently have many offices. They may, for example, create a sales and marketing headquarters. On the other hand, there are strong agencies entirely based in India and Latin America, while the UK consistently has a significant number of top app developers.
This list includes the greatest app development businesses from across the world. We picked organizations with a solid track record and a diverse portfolio to save you time googling; most of the best mobile app development companies below can code for iOS, Android, Windows Mobile, or go cross-platform and design a hybrid app. We evaluated their UX/UI design as well as their desire to experiment with emerging technology such as wearables, AR, VR, Block chain, Amazon Alexa, and conversational bots. Finally, we made no distinction based on company size, as tiny studios may compete with bigger firms on all quality parameters.
App Developers: What They Are and What They Do
There are four primary categories of app developers, each with several subsets (such as specialization in a particular vertical or platform). In general, enterprise-level firms are more expensive but have the best and fastest tools for developing your software, whereas boutiques are more like little craftsmen, and solo freelancers are the last group.
(In-house) business: Large corporations that design, develop, test, and publish your software. They usually have the highest budgets, and their designers and developers are primarily staff.
Outsourcing (enterprise): The primary distinction between these and the firms mentioned above is that they hire freelancers to work on your project. This gives you additional options – perhaps you already have a User Interface or have coding expertise but want something created. It also lowers expenses because app development through these organizations is often less expensive.
Boutique studios can be as few as two people. They work on fewer projects and offer high-quality results. They also prefer to specialize in specific sorts of apps or industry verticals.
Freelancers: You might be able to locate one person who will handle everything (design, coding, testing, and publishing), but the fact is that individuals who can do everything well are scarce and costly. Building an app with freelancers isn’t hard, but it adds a lot of labor and risk.
Platforms for creating apps
Years of rigorous rivalry have resulted in a duopoly of mobile operating systems. Currently, there are two major well-established platforms: iOS (Apple’s mobile operating system for iPhones, with several branches – ipadOS for iPads and watchOS for Apple Watch) and Android OS (Google’s mobile operating system that runs on a wide range of hardware from Samsung to Xiaomi and Huawei smartphones).
Windows 10 Mobile is also available, albeit it has a market share of less than 1% in the United States and less than 10% in all other regions. Microsoft said in October 2017 that active platform development will be discontinued. There is no need to design new software or hardware.
Stages of App Development Cost
Establishing an approximate estimate for how much different phases of app development could cost assists businesses incorrectly deploying the venture money they raise across the mobile app development cycle.
Clutch, a B2B analytics firm, conducted a study in 2017 that included data from over 100 app development businesses. It calculated the percentage of money spent on each step of app development: exploration, design, programming, testing, and deployment.
So, when it comes to coming up with an original concept and performing research, 51% of company representatives stated it costs up to $5,000. 22 per cent spent more than $5k and spent $10k, while 14 per cent spent between $10 and $25k. Discovery is clearly the least expensive of the app development stages.
Discovery/Pre-Research stage
Only 9% of app development teams spend more than $50,000 on design, with the remaining 32% spending less than $5,000. The majority (60%) answered between $5 and $50,000.
UI / Design stage
The actual coding of every feature that an app is expected to have is what development is all about. Only 9% of respondents spent less than $5,000 on app development code, while 33% spent between $5,000 and $10,000.
Development Stage
Any app development project would be hard to imagine without testing and deployment phases. App testing and market deployment cost less than $5,000 for 32% of respondents. Another 31% spent between $5 and $10k on testing and deployment, while the rest spent moreover $10k.
Testing and development stage
The intricacy of an app is, without a doubt, the most important aspect that determines its development cost. For example, if an app contains built-in user analytics, backend CMS support, a built-in cart, and social login capabilities, etc.
The hourly fee for mobile app development varies by region and reflects a country’s economic progress. India has the lowest average hourly wage – $7 – while the United States has the highest – $47, which is not surprising.
Choosing an App Developer
Examining the portfolio of the app developer is always a smart idea. Previous experience in your profession or industry may result in a superior app that is also less expensive. The challenges faced and overcome during the development of previous apps will reduce the time it takes to develop. It will also help if your chosen app developer has experience with them. It is well-versed in the ins and outs of your field.
Reviews and suggestions are other useful resources. If you know of company that is similar yours, find out who developed the app and study the app reviews. You may also look at our app developer marketplace and read our in-depth advice on how to pick one.